BORN OF DOOM

Chapter 4: TALENT

Words of the chief awakened adventurer having a new born after so many years spread out like wild fire.

The news about the child born on the day of a sudden eclipse, spread all through the brightvale clan, making people wonder if the child is related to the strange phenomenon or if he was just fortunate or unfortunate to be born on that same day.

When the news got to Mark who was about to receive a new mission to aid his family, he immediately quit the mission and rushed back to the village located at the outskirt of brightvale clan.

Mark was happy to see his wife safe and healthy, he made sure that she was okay before proceeding to check on his child who was fast asleep.

The young man in the flesh of a newborn stirred in his sleep before opening his blue eyes to stare at the man who was caressing his hair.

' why can't you just let me sleep ugh' he thought as he stared the man down with murder in his eyes.

Mark flinched and unconsciously took two steps back, unknowingly to him, a bid of sweat rolled down the side of his head, forming a straight line. Being an awakened and a skilled one at that, he immediately composed himself and walked calmly back to the small crib the child was placed in.

He then bent slightly to lift the newborn who continuously stared at him with murderous gaze. His gaze meeting the murderous gaze with expert calmness. He then walked over to Zipporah and sat close to her without averting his gaze from the kid.

Noticing the oddity and wondering why both father and son continued staring at each other with none trying to avert their gaze.

"Hmm, Mark, is everything okay??" She asked her husband.

The man lingered for a second, without averting his gaze, he answered.

"I think this kid is challenging my authority."

" Hmm, how is that possible, he is just a child" Zipporah said.

"Can't you see...he is refusing to give up the stare, as if challenging me into a competition." Mark replied

Sensing the pressure in the room becoming slightly intense, Zipporah immediately stood up and took the child away from her husband, ending the silent staring competition between the duo.

She then turned to scold her husband

"Don't be such a bully, how can you exert pressure on a little and frail kid."

Mark blinked innocently, wondering when he had bullied the little boy.

The couple played and joked after Zipporah ended the staring competition. Mark decided to stay back with his wife for sometime, thereby ignoring the summons from the guild association.

....

As time goes on, they discovered strange things about the boy who was named Vondrel. The child vondrel started walking seventh month after his birth, he started running around before his first birthday celebration. When he became two years of age, he was already talking maturely and fluently. He shows interest in everything he sees, trying to acquire knowledge of things beyond a toddlers capacity, though he is a young man in a toddlers body.

His words were like words of an adult in a toddlers body, he easily understood the strange language that was entirely different from the language of his previous world, even though he very well knows that he came from a different world, but ever since he was born into the new world, he had forgotten everything about his past life and even his conversation with the unknown.

The young man grew to know that he possessed a special trait of knowing and assimilating things with a single glance

His interest for acquisition of knowledge caught the attention of his father and few kinsmen, which all helped and dedicated the little they have to help the upcoming talent of their settlement.

He practiced swordsmanship with his father from age two, showing a visible talent for weapons and essence of combat. His mind tries to remember everything he knew about weapons and how to use them flawlessly but the more he tried to remember the harder it becomes, the memories seems to be within his mind but out of reach.

He could only make do with the little his body tries so hard to showcase, with the help of his father and the other awakened adventurers in the village, he was able to learn and get accustomed with the fighting styles of the new world.

After his third year, his mother gave birth to another boy, which grew up to be a talent, possessing an unusual ability, when used , a red aura seeps out of his body and do his bidding, it can practically do anything and is only limited by his own rank, Vondrel on the other hand didn't show any signs of possesing a special ability.

On his fourth year, Vondrel was seen engrossed in different books mostly about the world he presently is, historical books, books about politics, battle styles and so on. His parents decide to give him everything they have that could help him grow.

Even though he doesn't have any ability like his brother, he still possess traits and uniqueness not seen in other kids.

"Father, can you tell me about this world and how things works" vondrel questioned his father

"Sigh.... this world is too big for me to tell you everything about it, but i'll tell you the little I know, you'll get to know more as you grow " his father replied. His father went in and told him about the nature of the world, told him about the countries in the world and big clans out there.

Vondrel tried knowing about the past where the battle between Arkansas and Asmodeus, reason why they fought but he couldn't find answers due to his father's limited knowledge.

At the age of six, vondrel already knows more but not enough about the world and the ranks and power levels in the world.

He's bright and intelligent, but he wasn't among the lucky kids who awakened their ability at an early stage .

At this age his mother gave birth to a girl which was also a genius, possessing a monochrome ability. The ability to make things colourless and drain life essence out of living things and can also give life to living things. Once she activates her power, she stands unbeatable to those at her level.

Vondrel on the other hand was a genius in academics and other things, helps solve complicated matters even in the settlement, he was bright, skilled and intelligent, but he wasn't among the lucky kids who awakened their ability at an early stage .

They attend a small academy that was outside the settlement but within brightvale clan, the academy comprises of kids which awakened at an early age, those who are showing signs of awakening, those who are awaiting the normal age meant to awakened and those who aren't showing anything.

The more he grew up, he gets to witness what bully means. When a rare gen(kids who awakened their ability early) beats up other kids for reasons unnecessary, or when kids he couldn't handle, beats him just because he is more handsome than most of them in the clan. He became a scape goat and a punching bag for the direct descendants in the academy, because he knows not to mess with them, his parents couldn't do anything about it, his mother could only care and treat his injuries most of the times, he gets beating up mostly at school due to girls attention.

Vondrel found out strange things about himself, like the urge to finish up and take the life of those who pick on him. Or the urge to actually assassinate the direct descendants of the brightvale clan.

At the same time he had to learn to control himself to avoid getting himself and his family in trouble.

He trained more with his father and sometimes go with his father to stop the advance of a wandering pack of lower tier beasts that are wandering close to the swamp area, at first he wasn't able to kill any but after being tempered, he managed to have his first kill at the age of seven. Where he battles against a third tier early stage beast.

As his father watched on the sidelines as vondrel fought for his life, he was ready to step him if things go wrong. However, to his surprise and astonishment, the boy succeeded in taking down a ranker tier beast howbeit, he doesn't also look good.

"You did well today, well done." His father praised as he walked towards him.

'that's it....just that??. I just fought with my life on the line but all he has to say is, well done??' vondrel thought as a large frown was plastered on this face

"Leader, are you sure you really want your boy to go through this, isn't this too much for him knowing he is not an awakened.??" One of the member of Mark's awakened group said to him after they all witnessed the torturous training he gives the little boy.

"He needs it, he needs it to survive.The world out there is not friendly, most especially to the weak, only the strong and witted can survive.The yearly awakened celebration day is drawing closer, meaning he would be attending one of the big academy in those countries. Whether he awakens an ability or not, I want him to be strong enough to protect himself. He is witted and wise, all needed is for him to be strong to be alife." Marie said with a look of concern and seriousness.